The Pros And Cons Of Depression

Some say that “doctors are overdosing normal sadness to major depression” and that antidepressants actually make the situation worse or bring on depression that wasn’t there. For some people taking antidepressants may have effective results for a short time, but they actually increase the odds of chronical illness. Society is becoming more isolated and independent , where people live daily in irritation and aggressive lifestyles, which causes people to rebel. That everyday we all go through periods of hopelessness, which is true, but depression is where it's constant and tears you apart.” The most common explanations for the mental illness epidemic include recent overdiagnosis of psychiatric disorders, diagnostic expansionism, and psychiatry's pathologizing normal behavior”( ), or that it's easier to qualify or check the box for depression for a lot more people. Mental Illnesses put a lot of stress and disorder in the hostess life and isn’t just an over diagnostic or an act of rebellion.

Medications and wellness for depression, alcoholism and PMDD grace our living rooms every day, all day. In the late 90s more and more advertisements for medications to treat depression were allowed to run to try and “de-stigmatize” seeking help for mental illness. “Ask your doctor”, “break free from depression”, follow Karin’s story on Abilify.com; these tactics were to help the viewer at home identify with the illness so they may begin to educate themselves (Stresing, 2010). Though this breaking down of barriers and giving patients courage to take the first step in seeking treatment is, and has been, widely accepted and motivating, it has excluded and sustained the social distance of more serious illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar and multiple personality disorders to name a few.

Although about 450 million people in the world currently are suffering from a mental illness, many untreated, the topic still remains taboo in modern society (Mental Health). For years, people with mental illnesses have been shut away or institutionalized, and despite cultural progression in many areas, mental illnesses are still shamed and rarely brought to light outside of the psychiatric community. The many different forms in which mental illness can occur are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and there is a substantial debate about the way that they should be handled. Some people are of the opinion that mental illness is merely a variance in perception and that it either can be fixed through therapy or should not be treated at

Thus far, I have learned about the pros and cons to using medication in treatment with clients. In addition, I have seen first hand the benefits of implementing medications in client’s treatment plan. From my understanding, Depression is one of the most prevalent illnesses in the world. Because of this fact it is important that we understand and explore all the implications surrounding the use and efficacy for treatment. In order to treat our clients with the best care possible, we as therapist should be educated on the types of medications for depression, the impact they have on the body, and their efficacy of improving symptoms and overall functioning. In this paper I will explore three articles about antidepressants and their efficacy for treating clients with depression. In addition, I will provide my overall reaction to the studies and the material provided for the efficacy of antidepressants for treating depression.

Mental illness is as ruthless as it is unforgiving. Those who are victims to it often are unnoticed and feel shamed for existing under its control. Depression is a disease which, according to the Black Dog Institute, affects one in seven Australians in their lifetime, but it is one which fails to be successfully addressed in society, plausibly due to the prevalence of stigmatisation. The stigma associated with mental illness often prevents people from seeking professional treatment and while mental health activists and professionals promote the stigma of mental illness to be one which is diminishing in society, it still remains a condition with extremely concerning repercussions.

By making depression seem ambiguous and less severe than it really is, the general population became more inclined to use the antidepressants. By depicting depression as kokoro no kaze, “it implied that [depression] was not the severe condition it was once thought to be and therefore should carry no social stigma…[and] suggested that the choice of taking a medication for depression should be as simple and worry-free as buying a cough syrup or an antihistamine” (Watters 524). The last message portrayed to the general public is the phrase “depression [is] ubiquitous” (Watters 525). By using the analogy to connect the common cold to depression, GlaxoSmithKline downplayed the severity of the mental illness and as a result, made the general population more open to acknowledging the possibility of having a mental illness and thus making depression a social and societal norm. “Depression was so broadly defined by the marketers that it clearly encompassed classic emotions and behaviors formerly attributed to the melancholic personality type” (Watters 525). Depression became “intentionally ambiguous and ill-defined, applicable to the widest possible population and to the widest possible range of discomforts…. The only feature that distinguishes depression as a ‘disease’ from an ordinary depressed mood seems to be the length of time…” (Watters

There is an illness like none other, that sweeps across nations but is not contagious. It withdraws any and all feelings of all from from every area of life. Many experience it after a specific situation that elicits extreme sadness, loss, or pain. Other’s feel it for no apparent reason and are left seemingly to fend for themselves in the only dark abyss that they know. This malady is known as depression affects many people of all kinds every singly year. If the world knew how depression truly affects its victims, it would realize it’s not merely a mood or emotion one experiences, but rather a true and physical disease.

Whether we are becoming a more depressed population or simply changing the standards by which we diagnose is an area of some controversy. What is certain is that the medical system is now processing and treating—with ever-changing cocktails of psychotherapy, support groups, and pharmaceuticals—20% more Americans every year than the year before. Depression—together with its aftermath—is a staggering epidemic sweeping the country, ravaging countless lives in its

It is no secret that Western medicine and ideals have seeped their way into countries all around the globe. The Diagnostics and Statistic’s Manual (DSM) is a Western medicine book outlining all the “real” mental illnesses and disorders and how to treat them. Now the book only takes into account illnesses that have become prevalent in Western society, and discredits those from other countries (Watters 2010). Before the DSM was distributed worldwide, many countries did not experience the same illnesses of the mind that the West did. In many countries, mental illness was viewed as a spiritual plague that one was suffering from and therefore was not treated as a crazy person. In order to cure this spiritual problem, the family and friends of the sick would surround them with food, music, and dance in order to ease their spiritual woes (Watters 2010). These very different and “indigenous” illnesses were likely to develop along different paths if left uninterrupted by the DSM. The problem this manual created is that all over the world instances of diseases that were completely Western popped up where they once never existed. The symptoms of anorexia, for example, never included a phobia of becoming fat

Many people completely misunderstand mental disorders and don’t bother trying to correct mistakes made by themselves or others. Depression is no exception. Although it is one of the most common mental disorders categorized in the United States, how is it still such an issue? Although it is so common many people do not recognize the signs in others due to media portrayal, gender stereotypes, and the many misconceptions about this serious mental disorder.

Do you think that depression has advantages to learn something, though it refers to feeling sad, feeling completely unmotivated and less vigorous? The essay "Depression's Upside", which caused to different questions and discussion, was written by Jonah Lehrer, and it was published in 2010, in New York Times Magazine. The listening passage casts doubt the information in the reading passage while three aspects that can be learned during depression period are given in the reading material.

People who suffer from mental illness such as Depression and Anxiety do not only deal with the situations harrowing with the disease; but also people’s thoughts on the

Despite the milestones that we have crossed in regards to mental illness awareness in recent decades, “depression” is still thrown around casually by people who do not realize the weight of the word. It seems as though it is difficult for many to grasp the concept that depression is more than just a fleeting feeling of sadness or discontent; depression is a chemical imbalance that affects mood and behavior, resulting in feelings of dread and sadness to suicidal thoughts and actions. There is a stigma that comes with being depressed, one that negates the seriousness of the illness and depicts depressives as over reactive, whiny, and selfish. One of the very effective methods of purging this stigma is to give an account of living with depression to show how difficult it is to live with and persevere through, a method that Elizabeth Wurtzel uses in her memoir, Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America. A narrative of Wurtzel’s nadir in her battle with depression, Prozac Nation is a brutally honest, emotional retelling of her turbulent mental state throughout her teenage years and early twenties. Wurtzel’s story helps to bring awareness to the seriousness of depression, especially its emotional impact, occupation of the mind, and life altering complications. She highlights these issues through documentations of her tempestuous emotions, suicidal tendencies, self-obsession, hopelessness, and eventual recovery, cogently putting the reader in her

With the following information in mind, it should be noted that not all disorders are considered pathological; some behaviors are seen as ways of expressing and communicating distress to members of a certain culture and are seen as culturally accepted responses (APA, 1994). In fact, cultures experience, express, and cope with feelings of distress in various ways that may counter what Western societies see as common. Furthermore, at times these cultural differences are

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Nearly three million Australians live with depression and/or anxiety, which affects their wellbeing, personal relationships, career and productivity”. It is true that the real definition of depression is skewed amongst those in society. Some chose to believe that depression is a normal reaction to life’s stresses, like losing a loved one, getting fired from a job, going through a divorce, and other difficult situations, and that only when these feelings come without reason and persist long term should it be seen as a serious concern. Others believes that depression is no more than a sad feeling that is ignorable, only revealed to people for the sake of attention and the care that comes from pity and sympathy. Personally, I believe that depression is a scientifically proven mental illness, and as it dramatically alters one’s self and has become prevalent in society, it should be discussed with the gravity and urgency deserved to such a pressing topic.